Dirigible-headlight mechanism.



J. S. SPIREWFKI) JR. DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28, 1916.

1 ,226 ,1 33. Patented May 15, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1. s. SPIREWFK I, JR.

DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT MECHANISM.

APPLICATlON HLEDVMAR. 28, 11916.

13%, 1 38., Patented M1 715, 1917.

.2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

4 ib v1 dmgw:

pure srane rad an @lQEQ JOHN S. SPIBEWFKI, JR, 015 MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO DANIEL G. OCONNELL AND ONE-THIRD TUJAME$ E. OCONNELL, BOTH OF MIL- WAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

DIRIGIBLE-HEADLIGHT MECHANISM.

To aZ. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN S. Srrnnwrm, J12, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dirigible l leadlight Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in head lamps for automobiles or other vehicles, and is more particularly directed to the provision of means for moving the lamps in different desired directions and for moving'them simultaneously with steering movements of the vehicle.

It is in general the object of the present invention to improve the structure and increase the efiiciency of devices of this character.

It is a more specific object to provide a dirigible head light mechanism wherein only one lamp turns with the turning of the steering mechanism, to avoid the inconvenience and danger incidental to di-' recting both of the lamps laterally when only slight turning movements in the road are had, and in this connection it is more specifically an object to provide a structure whereby the lamp at the'side of the machine, to which the machine turns, is the lamp actuated on such turning movement.-

A still further object resides in the provision of a lamp structure which may be tilted vertically and held in suchdesired tilted position.

It is still further an object to provide a- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, ildtfi.

Application filed March 28, 1916. Serial No. 87,196.

particularly hereinafter described and particularlypointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a front elevation of one of the improved lamp members, with portions.

thereof broken away to more clearly disclose the structure.

. improved lamp structure associated with the forward portion of an automobile and operablv connected with the steering mechanism.

Referring now 'more' particularly to the accompanylng drawings, each of the lamp structures includes an attaching member formed of a cup-shaped casting 5 having lateral ears 6 adapted to be. bolted to the frame of the vehicle, and shrunk in the mouth of this casting is a pivot sleeve 7. A lamp standard 8 is passed vertically through the base member and journaled in the bottom of the casting. The upper end of the standard carries a head 9 having a depending annular flange 10 which receives the upper end of the sleeve 7 to form an upper bearing whereby the shaft is preferably journally supported. The shaft is held against accidental vertical displacement by the attachment thereto below the casting of an operating arm 11 connected with the steering mechanism of the vehicle in a manner to be later described. The ends of the head 9 are provided with sets of radial teeth 12, and screws 13 are passed through the. head. and support similarly toothed heads 14 of upwardly diverging lamp carrying arms 15. The upper ends of these arms are enlarged to form bearings 16 receiving pintles 17 carried by the lamp 18 and a spring 19 is secured to each pintle outwardly of the bearing and secured to the bearing whereby the lamp is resiliently urged to rotation in a clockwise direction. The lamp is normally held to direct its rays in a horizontal position by engagementof lugs 20 projecting from the lamp and engaging the laterally turned end 21 of the spring passed through the bearing, the lateral turning of the spring being its means of securement to the bearing. Each bearing is also provided with an outwardly annular flange 22, which receivesa cap member 23, whereby a chamber'is provided to house the spring 19 and to present a desired harmonious appearance.

To provide for tilting the lamp from a point adjacent the operators seat of the vehicle a flexible connection 24 is secured to the bottom of each lamp forwardly of the head 9 and is trained about a pulley 25 carried by said head and passed downwardly through openings 26 in the head member and casting members and trained about a pulley 27 on the bottom of the casting member from whence the connection extends inwardly and about suitable guide pulleys28 to the dash board 29,-the flexible connections of both lamps being preferably connected to a common grip member 30 mounted on the dash board.

The horizontal pivotal movement of each lamp member is limited by a pin 31 passed through key hole slots 32 in the sleeve 7, this pin being secured in the shaft and the flange 10. Thus movement of the lamps inwardly of their normal position is prevented and the lamp members are resiliently urged to such normal position by coil springs 33 on the standard within the casting andsecured to said casting.

' ing movement of the vehicle, a securing For turning one of the lamps upon a turnmember' 34c is attached centrally to the steering rod 35 of the automobile and flexible connections 36 connect this member and the actuating arms 11. These flexible connections are normally slack, and thus slight movements of the steering rod incident to travel are not transmitted to the lamps. 'It

Thus upon movement of the steering ,rod to turn the vehicle in either direction, the lamp corresponding to the direction of turning, will be swung, while the other lamp will be directed straight ahead. Thus the road directly ahead of the vehicle is at all times illuminated, this feature being particularly valuable inasmuch as in normal travel, momentary movements of the steering mechanism to avoid ruts in the road and the like do not operate to deflect the lights entirely from the road.

From the foregoing it is observed that a structure has been procured which will efliciently perform the functions set forth and which is of such simplicity as to permit its ready manufacture, and to provide for durability in use. It is observed that all of the spring members are housed whereby their protection is assured, and whereby a device of. harmonious and pleasing design is procured.

I claim;

A lamp'structure of thetype described comprising a hollow attaching member having an open top, a lamp carrying head including upwardly extending arms, a lamp journaled in the arms for vertical swinging movement, a depending flange on the head engaging the attaching mem er to form an upper journal for the head, a shaft extending through the attaching member and journaled in the bottom thereof, a pulley on the head, and a cable secured to the forward end of the lamp and trained about said pulley and extended through the flange and attachmember. a

in %n testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of-Milwaukee and State'of Wisconsin, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN S. SPIREWFKI, J RF Witnesses:

J. E. OCoNNELL, D. C. OCONNELL. 

